Arc-lamp.



A. BLUNDEL '& GT'EDBKEVITGH. ARC LAMP.

1 APPLICATION FILED JAN. 16, 1905. Patented May 12,

3 SHEETS-BEEBT l.

Fig.1, Fig-.2.

a0 L. 1 11.7 671- for: $514M M 5 2, 7 wkw ww' A. BLQN DEL & G.DOBKEVITGH.

ARC LAMP.

APPLICATION IILED JAN.1 6, 1905.

1,096,411 1 Patented May 12, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A. BLONDEL& G. DOBKEVITGH.

ARO LAMP.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 16, 1905.

Patented May 12, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Witnesses;

. @UNITED TAWENT oi riois.v

11mm n'LommL AND (infirm nonxnvrron, or PARIS, FRANCE, ASSIGNOBS, BY.nnsm; nssmumnms, To GENERAL ELECTRIQ COMPANY, A conromrrrou or NEWYOI'K.

ARC-LAMP.

Patented May 12, 1914:.

Application filed January 16, 1905. Serial N 0. 241,288.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, ANDRE BLoNnEL, a

citizen of the Republic of France, ,and Gai TAN Donxnvrron, a subject ofthe Emperor of Russia, both residing at Paris, France,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Arc-Lamps, of whichthe following is a specification.

Our invention relates to the regulating mechanism of arc lamps and ismore particularly? concerned with a regulating mechanism for luminousarc lamps.

In luminous a-rclamps, as is well known, the electrodes usually containminerals and the operating distance between the electrodes is materiallygreater than that in ordinary arc lamps' In the operation of luminousare lamps, products of combustion are evolved from the arc, which uponcooling, tend to produce a light layer of non-conductive mineral matterupon the electrodes which obviously hinders the reformation of the arc.

The object of our invention is to provide for. regulating the feed ofluminous arc lamps in such manner that when the are k is broken it canbe reformed in minimum time so as to prevent the cooling of the mineralproducts from forming a non-conduc tive layer on the electrodes,- andafterward to more gradually regulate the feed of the electrodes whilethey are separated at substantially normal operating distance apart.

Further objects of our invention will be apparent from the detaileddescription of an embodiment of the same which follows.

The principle upon which our invention is based is that when the arcbecomes extinguished, the electrodes are rapidly brought together againand drawn apart to a predetermined distance, after which the regulationis more gradual. This principle is utilized and the objects of theinvention fulfilled by providing suitable feeding mechanism which isonly slightly retarded when the arc has become extinguished and whilethe electrodes are being separated to a predetermined distance apart,but which is more strongly retarded after the electrodes have been drawnapart to the predetermined distance, which is substantially the normaloperating distance apart.

To clearly illustrate the principle upon which our invention is basedand to enable others skilledjn the art to understand and practise theinvention, we shall describe the same with reference to the accompanyingdrawings in which an embodiment of our in vention is shown by wayof.example.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of an arc lamp providedwith our lnventionr Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Figs. 3 to 6are detail views of the train of gears; Figs. 7 and 8 are detail Viewsof the releasing mechanism for the train of gears; Fig. 9 is a detailview of the escapement mechanism; Fig. 10 shows details of the train ofgears assembled and the releasing device, Fig. 11 is a sectionalelevation showing the arrangement of the dash-pot and Fig. 12 is abottom view of the dashpot.

Referring now more specifically to said drawings, 1 indicates a casingconstituting a balance and carrying a train of gears. The gears referredto may consist of a permanently intermeshing train of wheels and pinions3, 3', 4, 4', 5 and 5', the wheel 3 meshng with a pinion 3 on 4, thewheel 4 meshmg with a pinion 4 moving with 5, and the wheel 6 moving inunison with the wheel 5 through the medium of intermeshing teeth onwheel 5 and on a pinion 5 carried on the axle-pin of wheel 6. Theaxle-pin of wheel 6 also carries the ratchet wheel 7 It will be seenin.Figs. 1 and 6 that the wheel 3 is connected with a chain 2 whichtransmits the motion to the electrode holders as will hereinafterappear. The casing 1 may be fulcrumed between upright bracket arms 13and to facilitate its rocking movement any desired arrangement of knifeedge fulcrum may be provided.

An escape-lever 8 journaled at d and weighted at f (see Figs. 1 and 9)carries upon the axis 9 a small double lever h with two small rollersz'and is. A pendulum or other oscillatory stop device 9 is pivoted onthe axis a, the axis being secured to the plate b. This plate is mountedon one side of the casing. The pendulum is provided with a pin a, whichin one of the positions of said casing presses against the wheel 6,thereby preventing movement of the same. It will be seen that thependulum thus acts as a yielding stop, and, after the pin on thependulum has engaged the wheel 6, further movement of the casingproduces :1 corresponding movement of the pendulum, the pendulum movingbodily with the casing. As soon as the left hand magnet attracts itsarmature and thus rocks the balance to theleft, the wheel 6 is releasedand the gears begin to move due to the weight of the upper electrode andconnected parts, and the electrodes thus approach each other. Duringthis operation the rollers 71 and 7c alternately engage the teeth of theratchet wheel 7 and-thus regulate the escapement, the weight f being Yelectrodes to recede from each other.

rotated about its pivot. From the position "shown in Fig. 9, when thewheel 7 is rotating in the directionindicated by the arrow, the rolleris would be lifted on the incline of the notch with which-it is inengagement and'the roller 2' caused to engage the second notch to theleft. This roller will then be similarly lifted and the weighted lever,which oscillates about the pin g as a pivot, acts as an inertia deviceto regulate the movement of the clock gears.

At opposite sides of the sector-shaped box 1, we may provide suitablestraps or chains 10, suitably attached to the "box 1 and secured to theupper ends of two movable soft iron cores 11 forming plungers, which aresuitably disposed within the solenoids 12. One of the solenoids isconnected in series with the arc circuit and the other in shunt thereto.When the arc becomes longer and its resistance increases, the shunt coilis energized more strongly and thus rocks the sector-shaped box to theleft in Fig. 1. When the arc becomes shorter and its resistance thusdecreases, the series coil is more strongly energized and the box 1 isrocked to the right in Fig. 1. The effect of rocking the box 1 to theleft in Fig. 1 is to draw the electrodes together, whereas the effect ofrocking the box 1 to the right in Fig. 1 is to separate the electrodesfarther. In order to obtain this efi'ect from the rocking of the box 1,the wheel2, mentioned above, drives the depending chain 14 suitablyguided by pulleys 15, of which one end is suitably connected with theupper-electrode holder 16 secured at the lower end of rod-17, and theother end suitably connected with the rod 18, moving between the guides19 and hearing the lower electrode holder 20.

With the mechanism thus far described, it is apparent that the tendencyof an elongation of the arcis to cause the electrodes to approach eachother, whereas the tendency of a shortening of the arc is to cause the Ashoe or friction contact device 22 is pressed by, yielding strips 23against theupper electrode near its contact with the lower electrode,and a friction contact device 24, in-

1 fiuenced by a dropping lever, clamps the electrode between 24 and aring like frame 25. This form of friction cont-act device is especiallyadvantageous in connection with the use of high resistance ormineralized electrodes. An economizer 26 surrounds the point of theupper electrode, and a reflector esa-e11 the lamp, and 32 is thesuspending bracket therefor.

are columns supporting the upright brackets 13, and 34 are magneticshells which may be placed around coils 12 to increase the attractionfor the plungers.

y In order to regulate the feed, we propose to strongly retard the feedmechanism while the electrodes are at substantially normal operatingdistance apart, but to only weakly retard the feed mechanism'when thearc has become extinguished, or when the electrodes are in contact witheach other. In order to effect this, various constructions are possible,but as an example of such, we have shownand shall describe a dash potretarding device. This dash pot is illustrated in detail in-Fig. 11. Itwill be seen that itcomprises a casing 21 closed below by a bottom plate36, and opening above through a plate 30. In this casing 21 is disposeda piston 3'? which is connected asby rod 38 with the plunger in theshunt solenoid at the left in Fig. 1. Piston 37 is provided with a flapvalve 39 and a reciprocatory valve 41, the latter having a tapered headseated in an inwardly tapering seat in the tube 40 of the piston, andprovided with a downwardly projecting stem 42 of such length as toengage the bottom plate 36 and hold valve 41 off its seat while thepiston is in the .ments of the balance 1 in the necessary manner. Chains35 and 36 support the lower and upper electrode holders respectivelywhen the electrodes are consumed.

Flap valve 39 regulates the movement of the piston while it is-in theupper portion of its stroke and the valve 41 is closed, so that the feedis strongly retarded in that portion. This portion of the piston strokeis during the time when the electrodes are at substantially normaloperating distance apart. The

valve 41, by reason of its elongated stem 42 striking the bottom plate36, is maintained open while the piston is in the lower portion of itsstroke (as when thearc is broken or the electrodes are together), andtherefore, in

that part of its stroke the piston may have a rapid movement and theretarding effect upon the feed mechanism will be very weak.

Whem the upper and lower-electrodes are together. and the current isturned oil, the balance is tilted to the left, by reason of the weightof the upper electrode holder, and the piston 37 is in the lower portionof its stroke, the valve 41 then being held open by its stem 42 restingon the bottom plate 36. When the current is turned on the seriessolenoid is strongly energized and the balance is tilted to the right,the first portion of this motion being very rapid due to the weakretarding effect of the piston because of the valve 41 beingopen. "Thedimensions and proportions are such that the piston will reach theposition in which the valve 41 closes at about the time when theelectrodes have been separated to a distance approximately correspondingwith their normal operating distance apart, after which the continuedrise .of the piston and separation of electrodes will take place slowlyuntil the current through the shunt solenoid (which becomes stronger asthe arc lengthens and increases the resistance in the series circuit)reaches the value where its tractive effect upon the feed balances thatof the series solenoid; Thereafter slight oscillations of the currentthrough the arc will elfect the exact adjustment as in ordinary seriesshunt feed controls As the electrodes become consumed by operation, orshould for any reason the arc become lengthened to the point ofextinction, the series solenoid is at once denergized, and the shuntsolenoid re.- ceives an increment of current. The effect of this is totilt the balance to the left by which the pendulum brake is rocked tofree the train of gears, so that the electrodes are fed toward eachother under the action of the weight of the upper elect-rode carrier,but this movement is slackened by the train of gears. When the valvestem 42 strikes the bottom plate 36 and opens the valve 41 the downwardmovement of the piston maybe very rapid and thuspermit the electrodes tobe brought together in a very short time after the arc hasbecomeextinguished.

WVhat we claim is:

1. In an arc lamp, a pair of cooperating electrodes on whichnon-conducting coatings are formed in operation, mechanism connectedthereto for establishing the arc and regulating the same, and aretarding device connected with said mechanism which but slightlyretards the movement of the electrodes when they are less than apredetermined distance apart and strongly retards the same when they areat or beyond such distance apart.

2; In an arc lamp, a pair of cooperating electrodes which move togetherby gravity, a lever, means for rocking the lever, a system of gearsconnected to the electrodes and carried by said lever and so arrangedas-to separate the electrodes on movement in one direction, meansresponsive to the movement of the lever in the opposite direction forreleasing the gears and permitting the electrodes to feed together, anda retarding device connected to said lever arranged to retard themovement of the; lever but slightly within a predetermined range ofmovement and to retard it strongly beyond that range.

.3, In an arc lamp, a pair of cooperating electrodes on whichnon-conducting coatings are formed in operation, mechanism connectedthereto for establishing the arc and regulating the same, a retardingdevice connected with said mechanism which strongly retards the actionthereof when the electrodes are at substantially normal operatingdistance apart and which weakly retards the samewhen they aresubstantially less than said normal operating distance apart.

4. In an arc lamp, a pair of cooperating electrodes on whichnon-conducting coatings are formed in operation, mechanism connectedthereto for establishing the arc and regulating the same, a dash potconnected with said mechanism which strongly retards the action thereofwhen the electrodes are at substantially normal operating distance apartand which weakly retard the same when they are substantially less thansaid normal operating distance apart.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses,

ANDRE BLONDEL. GAETAN DOBKEVITCH.

Witnesses:

J OSEPH J. Conwm, JOSEPHINE CORNET.

